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By John Darling For the Tidings December 03. 2014 5:54PM Lessons learned from events in Ferguson, Mo. Marcus Malcom, Southern Oregon University faculty advisor for the Black Student Union, asks a question with his sign. Daily Tidings / Bob Pennell An unarmed teen, Michael Brown, an African-American, was fatally shot Aug. 2 by Ferguson, Mo., police officer Darren Wilson, who is white. Wilson shot Brown many times, including two to the head, which killed him. Brown had just stolen a box of cigarillos from a convenience store, but it’s disputed whether Wilson knew that when he ordered Brown, who had walking in the middle of the street, out of the street and onto the sidewalk. Brown refused and apparently tussled with the cop through the window of his cruiser.  Claiming racist enforcement of laws, mostly black Ferguson exploded in protests, vandalism and looting, while the mostly-white police force sought control of the situation with “militarized” vehicles, combat suits and weapons, provided by the U.S. Defense Department to many cities.  The entire nation got pulled into the debate about racial profiling, police brutality and “white privilege,” which means the unconscious expectation whites have about being treated fairly by police, while blacks consciously have the opposite expectation.  President Barack Obama launched an independent civil rights investigation into the killing and said he would seek curtailment of militarization of police by the federal government. Protests spiked when a grand jury decided Nov. 24 not to indict the police officer. The situation in Ferguson remains at a slow boil.  Meanwhile, white America takes a hard look at itself and wonders what, if any, progress has been made since Martin Luther King, freedom rides, desgregation, school busing, Long Hot Summers of the '60s and the riots following exoneration of police in the Rodney King beating.  Asked of Ashlanders, on the street: What are the lessons we are or should be learning from Ferguson? Is white privilege real? Is militarization of police necessary?  Anne Floan — There’s a story on both sides. It’s true that police target blacks. If he’d not been disobedient, he probably wouldn’t have died. The militarization might have been overdone, having tanks out there, but they (police) didn’t know what to expect. I’m sure, in Missouri, people feel safer (around police) if they’re white.  Paul Cypress — It’s obvious that state has a mentality of cultural differences. I’m speechless that human beings can be so stupid and not careful. Privilege is an individual thing. I’m sure it’s there in Missouri. We are human beings. We’re not black and white — and that must be the foundation of society, as long as we’ve got injustice.  Ross Coldwell — We consider ourselves not prejudiced, but it lurks inside. I think the verdict (not to indict the cop) was incorrect, but of course, I didn’t see the evidence. It seems funny the town has 50 white cops and five black cops. It makes you (whites) feel somewhat privileged. Our education system seems inadequate to supply enough blacks (as police) or else they just aren’t hiring blacks.  Judy Burton — There is definitely racial profiling by police. Racism has not ended. It’s still part of our society. We’ve got a long way to go. Blacks are generally stereotyped. A black with a hoodie is probably seen as more dangerous — and feared. Sometimes, that’s justified and sometimes not. Police brutality goes deeper, though, into abuse of power, feeling like you’re in a boy’s club and that if you shoot someone, you’ll probably get off. That abuse happens to whites, also. http://www.dailytidings.com/article/20141203/NEWS/141209915 © 2015 Copyright © 1995-2011 Crain Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. Terms of Use Privacy Statement -->